Floor washing machines



Feb. 24, 1-959 J. J. HIRAK FLOOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Sept. 16, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Feb. 24, 1959 J.`J.H1RAK 2,874,397

. 'FLOOR WASHING MACHINES Filed sept. 1 6, 1953 2 VSheets-sheet 2 l NVENTUR f/OJEP d ///fa FLOOR WASHING MACHINES y Y Joseph J. Hirak, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application September 16, 1953, Serial No. 380,417 s claims. (C1. 15-515 This invention relates to improvements in machines for washing floors, decks or like surfaces, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a machine as aforesaid which will more thoroughly clean and dry the surface over which it moves thany previous machines.

A furtherimportant object is to provide a machine which will instantly and automatically accommodate itself to all variations or unevenness in the flooring or surface being cleaned and can be operated into corners to thoroughly cleanse the entire area.

Again an important -object is to provide alloor washing machine which will completely preclude all Adripping or splashing on the oor or surface area previously covered by the machine.

Still aV further important object is toprovide a machine as aforesaid of simple, sturdy and dependable construction which will be simple to maintain and which can be easily and'q'uickly adjusted, e. g., to compensate for wear or change of dimension through shrinkage or elongation of the cleaning elements eXposedto the washing water or's'olution. p According to the invention the machine comprises essentially a scrubbing element operating ahead of an endless `drying and bufng lor mopping element passing through a wringer, and one important feature of the invention resides informing the endless drying and bufng or mopping element as an open web belt which will en- 2,874,397 Patented-Feb. 24, 1959 iceA roller arrangementover which the wiping belt operates to regulate both tension and door contacting position of the belt.

These and other objects and features will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the machine of Figurev 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 lbut taken from the opposite side.

Figure 4 is. a fragmentary-enlarged vertical sectional detail of the wringer arrangement. v l

Figure 5 isa fragmentary front elevational View of the machine.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional detail on the line 6-6 of Figure 5. f i

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view with the frame of the machine broken away illustrating the relation of the able the waterexpelled in wringing, particularly at the A' upper surface ofthe belt, to ow freely through the belt rather than .runalong or be carried by the belt to provide a source of dripping or splashing on surface ,areas previously washed. Y

f Another important feature resides in providing a scrubhing element extending1appreciably beyond the sides of the machine and mounted in advance ofthe machine so that it canbe manoeuvered into corners and providing behind the scrubbing element an arrangement of wipers to converge and lead water delivered to the scrubbing element back to the-mopping element for pick-up and drying of the surface.

Another important feature resides-in providing as the scrubbing element mounted in advance of the machine a reciprocating brush swingably supported and placed under pressure in a manner to maintain substantially constant brush pressure on the floor independent, of variations thereinV and resiliently supporting the following wipers to also follow floor variations.

Still another feature in one important embodiment of the invention resides in providing in conjunction with the belt crmopping'element a water pick-up vessel having a flange formedinto abroad sloping trough or guide extending under an appreciable length of the belt to deliverwater dripping therefrom over a substantial length of travel either side ofthe wringer to the vessel.

` Again a feature of this embodiment of the invention resides in'mounting they motor in a! central position ancedaunitscrubbing element and wiper` elements.

Figure 8 is a side elevational .view of a somewhat modied form of machine embodying the invention.

With reference to the drawings, Figures 1 to 3, the machine comprises a longitudinal frame formed. with longitudinal side members 1, centrally disposed uprights 2 and forwardly disposed uprights 3 joined by top bars 4 and suitable cross bracing 5.`

The rear of the frame is supported by castors 6, while the forward end is carried on rollers 7 mounted on slotted arms 8 which permit the vertical adjustment as required.

Mounted at the rear -of theframe is a separate/frame 9 supporting the motor 10. Themachine is operated -and controlled through thehandle 11. n

Supportedbetween the central uprights 2 are a pair of wringer rollsconstituted by the lower roll 12 and upper roll 13. The lower roll is carried directly by the uprightsV 2, while the upper rol1,13 is journalled in blocks 14, Figure 4, operating in slots-15 in the uprights 2 and urged towards the lower roll by Vmeans of they spring 16 and operator 17,.

The wringer constituted by the rolls 12 and 13. is. operated from the motor 10 by meansgofabelt drive18 engaging a pulley 19 fixed to the shaftoftthe; upper roll 13. Operating between the, rolls 12 and 13 is'an endless mopping element 20 which passes over rollers 21` supported beneath the longitudinal frame-members 1 by slotted arms 22 which are adapted to be clamped in slots 23 formed in the side frame members 1.

Thus the rollers 21 are-,mounted for relative displacement or separation as well as displacement below the wheeled support framebottom members 1. Thus these rollers 21 enable the tension of the mopping element 20 totbelregulated as well as positioningthe moppingl element for contact with the oor `or other surface 24.

YSupported at the forward end of the side members 1 on an axle 25 are a pair of driven wheels 26 towhich rods or pitmans 27 are eccentrically connected which in turn are pivotally connected to a brush 28. The length of the brush, which extends transversely of the machine, is greater than the width of the longitudinal frame' of the machine, as shown particularly in Figures l andi-,5. This fact, together with the advance position of the brush, enables it to` be operatedfinto corners close to objects without interference.

Driving the wheels 26 to reciprocate the brush 28 through the e'ccentrically mounted pitmans 27 are belt -drives 29 and 30 operating on the pulleys 31 andV 32 respectively.

Loosely supported between bracket plates 33 carried by the machine frame, as shownin Figure 6, is a cranked 4 assess? arm or bar 34 which projects forwardly of the machine i and projects through a collar 35 4carried by the brush 28.

A spring 36 connected tothe lower bracket plate 33 and the cranked arm 34 serves as a means to force the brush 28 downwardly againstY the surface 24 being cleaned, and as the brushireciprocates, under action of the fiy wheels "26 and eccentrics 27, the collar 35 slides in a reciprocal motion on the arm 34.

Supported by the uprights 2 and 3 is a tank or vessel 37 from which leads a flexible hose connection 38 connected to the brush 28 which is provided with a suitable passage 39 through the backing thereof to deliver water between the bristle rows 40. The tank 37 lis adapted to contain clean water mixed with soap, detergent, water softener or cleaning solution, to supply feed to the-brush.

Reciprocally mounted in brackets 41y at the rear of the brush 28 are vertically disposed wiper blades or squeegee elements 42 which are urged lunder pressure of springs 43 into oor contact. The wipers 42 are disposed to converge rearwardly and extend from adjacent the ends of the brush 28 to adjacent the mopping element 20.

Mounted beneath the rolls 12 and 13 of the wringer device is a collector tank or vessel 44 which is adapted to collect the water squeezed from the mopping element as it passes between the rolls 12 and 13, and this tank is provided with a suitable drain 45. t

` Swingably supported on pivotal arms 46 from the longitudinal frame members 1 is a rotatable weight or roller 47 which is adapted to carry the mopping element 20 down against the oor surface 24 to maintain the element under gravitational force in firm wiping and buffing contact with this surface, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

In operation the machine is pushed ahead of the operator with the reciprocating brush 28 scrubbing a swath wider than the machine and the track of the wheels constituted by castors 6 and rollers 7. The scrubbing action is accompanied with delivery of a ow of cleaning solution to the brush, and the water or liquid deposited and left behind the brush as the machine advances is guided rearwardly and inwardly by the resiliently operated wipers 42 to the mopping element 20, which element is forced into contact with the surface by the rotatable weight 47 and picks up the moisture and delivers it to the wringer constituted by the rolls 12 and 13 where the moisture is squeezed out or expressed. The moisture adjacent the underside of the mopping element or web falls freely into the collector tank 44, while water squeezed from the upper surface of the mopping element is delivered through openings 48 in the web of the element, where again it falls freely into the collector tank 44.

As shown particularly in Figure 1, the mopping element or belt 20, which is preferably a canvas-backed yarn, is provided with rows of generally diamond-shaped openings 48, and these rows may be either staggered or formed to provide openings of sufficient breadth that substantially all of the water squeezed will, in tiowing down the belt on either side of the rolls 12 and 13, strike an opening and be discharged into the tank 44 which extends on either side of the wringer rolls. In this way substantially al1 of the free moisture in the belt has been rem'oved by the wringer rolls when the wrung belt portion again arrives at the lower reach to provide the mopping and buing action, eliminating drip or splashing behind the machine as the mopping belt passes over the rear roller 21.

In the modification of the invention illustrated in Figure 8, the motor frame 9 has been removed and the motor 10' mounted forv vertical adjustment on central uprights 2'. Also the upper reach of the mopping element 20 is extended by passing the element over spaced rolls 49', and in place of the collector tank 44 a collector tank 50 is located at one side of the wringer constituted by rolls 12' and 13', and this collector tank is formed with a broad ange 51 which extends between the motor 10' and the wringer and is sloped to convey water drip-r ping from the mopping element on either side of the wringer into the collector -tank 50. In this way the fiange 51 forms the dual function of shielding the motor and channelling the expressed water from the belt 20' into the collector. In this modification the clean water tank or reservoir 37' is shown mounted at a lower position to provide a more compact unit in which the centre of gravity is lowered and is centrally located.

As the remainder of the elements in the modification of Figure 8 correspond in part to those shown in the embodiment of the invention of Figures l to 7 they are identified by the same reference numerals.

It will be understood that variations in details of construction may be made within the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a machine for washing oors and the like, a support frame supported forwardly by vertically adjustable wheels and rearwardly by wheels each swingable about a vertical axis, a rod carried by said frame and extending forwardly thereof, a scrubbing element cornprising a brush extending transversely of said frame and slidably supported intermediately of its length from said rod, said rod defining an axis about which said brush element swings, spring means carried by said rod urging said rod downwardly, tiexible tubular means for delivering liquid to said scrubbing element, a continuous mopping element supported to operate behind said scrubbing element comprising an endless belt having vertically separated upper and lower reaches, a roller wringer mounted intermediately of said frame and operating on the upper reach of said continuous mopping element, a motor for reciprocating said scrubbing element and operating said roller wringer, said motor being mounted on said frame substantially vertically below saidwringer between the upper and lower reaches of said mopping element, means for collecting liquid adapted to be squeezed from said mopping element by said wringer, said means comprising a vessel mounted on said frame at one side of said motor and having a wide fiange extending beneath and beyond said wringer above said motor to the other side thereof.

2. In a iioor Washing machine, an elongated frame supported forwardly by vertically adjustable wheels and rearwardly by wheels each free to swing about a vertical axis, a rod mounted on said frame and extending'forwardly thereof, a brush element extending transversely of said frame and centrally supported in advance of said frame for sliding movement on said rod, said rod defining an axis about which said brush element can swing, means for reciprocating said brush on said rod, a continuous mopping element mounted on said frame and being adapted to operate behind said brush, said mopping element comprising an endless belt having a pattern of openings extending completely therethrough, a wringer device for operating on saidcontnuous mopping element, a flexible tubular means for Vfeeding liquidto said brush from a receptacle carried by said frame and means for collecting liquid adapted to be squeezed from said mopping element by said wringer including liquid tiowing through said pattern of openings.

3. In a oor washing machine, a support frame, a rod mounted on said frame and extending forwardly thereof, a scrubbing element centrally supported on said rod for sliding movement therealong, means for reciprocating said scrubbing element, a continuous mopping element operating behind said scrubbing element, said mopping element comprising an endless belt of absorbent material having rows of openings extending completely therethrough, a wringer device carried by said frame operating on said continuous mopping element, fiexible tubular means for feeding liquid to said scrubbing element from a receptacle carried by said frame and means for collecting liquid adapted to be squeezed from said mopping element by said wringer.

4, A door washing machine comprising an elongated 's frame supported forwardly by vertically ladjustable wheels and rearwardly by wheels each swingable about a vertical axis, a rod mounted on said frame and extending forwardly thereof, bias means for urging said rod downwardly, a brush supported centrally from said rod for sliding movement and extending transversely of the direction of machine advance beyond said frame, means for reciprocating said brush, a continuous mopping element comprising an endless belt of absorbent material carried by said frame, a pair -of rearwardly converging wiper elements extending rearwardly from adjacent the ends of said brush to adjacent said mopping element, wringer means for operating on said mopping element, iexible tubular means for delivering cleaning solution'to said brush from a receptacle carried by said frame and means for collecting cleaning solution adapted to be squeezed from said mopping element by said Wringer.

5. In a machine for washing floors or the like, an elongated frame supported forwardly by vertically adjustable wheels and rearwardly by wheels each swingable about a vertical axis,A a rod mounted on said frame and extending forwardly thereof, bias means urging said rod downwardly, a scrubbing element supported centrally thereof from said rod for sliding movement therealong, means for reciprocating said scrubbing element, a continuous mopping element comprising an endless belt of absorbent material having a pattern of openings extending completely therethrough, said continuous mopj ping element passing over a pair of rollers located at the bottom of and extending below said frame, said rollers being mounted for relative separation and vertical displacement to control tension in said mopping element and to regulate the displacement of said mopping element below said frame, and wringer means for operating 011 said continuous moppng element.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

